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We've all seen the pictures and read
the stories in the history books
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about the kings and queens
with their power
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and privilege and silks and furs.
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But in this series, I want to
discover the other side of history.
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I'm already quite nervous.
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The side we don't often hear about,
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how ordinary British people
lived their lives.
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From the Tudors...
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You can see why it did
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attract my attention!
LAUGHTER
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Disgusting!
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TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS
..to the Victorians.
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Throw a stone in Victorian London,
you will hit a drunken cab man.
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There's that many of them.
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We are not only amused.
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CANNON BANGS
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From the Georgians...
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You take the saw. Oh, my God.
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It's horrible,
just seeing you do that.
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SCREAMING
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...to the people who really fought
the Second World War.
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James could hear the ping of bullets
and the clatter of shrapnel.
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One thing's for sure, these people
knew the meaning of the word tough.
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SCREAMING
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I'll be finding
the truth about their daily lives,
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what they ate...
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How long would that have lasted?
Up to three years.
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Urghg
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...how they made a living...
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There's even value in a rat,
when it's dead.
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...and those vital necessities
of life.
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What did you do if you wanted
to pee?
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The bucket?
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This is British History
from the bottom up.
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You've got to admit,
I am terrifying.
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LAUGHTER
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This time, I'm going back over
200 years to Georgian Britain.
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Nowadays, it's seen as a period of
great sophistication and elegance.
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Darling, where did you get
that dress?
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But for ordinary people,
it was far from that.
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For them, the Georgian period
was particularly cruel and nasty.
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In everything from laws
to living standards,
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there was a huge chasm
between the poor and the wealthy.
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CREAKING
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But...
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...some of those who came
from the wrong side of the track
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weren't prepared to accept
their dreary lot.
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Jack Rann, who was born in 1750,
was one of them.
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Here's Jack.
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Like many ordinary families
of the time, Jack's was dirt poor.
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They would most likely have lived
all together in just one room
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with no running water,
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and just a bucket for a loo.
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We think his dad was a peddler,
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a street seller, earning maybe
six or seven shillings a week -
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just 35 quid in today's money -
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which meant that most of the
family's money was spent on bread,
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certainly not on fun.
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And yet, just to rub it all in,
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jack lived in a city that was oozing
with luxury and pleasure...
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...Bath.
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The go-to tourist destination
for Britain's rich and privileged.
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They came here to party,
sample the spa waters
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and generally ponce around.
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Oh, the heartache!
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But at least the toffs provided
a business opportunity
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for a certain canny young someone.
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Yep, no school for him.
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Instead, he'd be following in
the footsteps of his dad.
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12-year-old jack regularly
used to pitch his peddler's cart
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in the city centre, in the square,
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selling Georgian delicacies
like pastries and oranges.
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His customers were
the high-society men and women,
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strutting around like peacocks,
with their hair piled high
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on their heads...
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HORSE WHINNIES
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...like a glossy magazine
centre-spread,
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there, right in front of him.
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And the more he saw of it,
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the more he wanted a piece
of the action.
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And, quite frankly, he wanted to
look cool enough
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to get some of the girls.
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Jack saw his chance...
WHIP CRACKING
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...in the Georgian
lust for high-speed travel.
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REVVING
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WHIP CRACKS AND HORSES WHINNY
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For jack, the growing numbers
of wealthy travellers
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whizzing around the country in
fancy carriages
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meant the chance of jack
going places too.
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When he was just 18, he got the
plum job in this new world
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of high-speed travel -
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he became a coachman.
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And was soon running all
the transport for a large household.
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# From stars up, sun down
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# We getting money, money,
money, money. #
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Chris Thomson is an expert on the
sort of life jack would have had.
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That coat that you're wearing,
that, to me,
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is traditional coachman's clobber,
am I right?
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Yeah, great coat, has many capes
for keeping out the weather
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and it's very heavy and warm,
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so in inclement weather,
it would be something of a saviour.
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In warm weather, it wasn't too good.
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And jack would have worn
something like this.
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What hours would he have worked?
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Long hours, long into the night.
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If his employer requested to
travel overnight,
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then jack had to be at the ready.
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On a daily basis, he would probably
work from dawn till dusk.
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And jack wasn't exactly
raking it in.
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He'd get just £10-15 a year,
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a couple of grand today,
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although he did get meals
and accommodation thrown in.
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HORSE WHINNIES AND SNORTS
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Regular public stagecoaches
were uncomfortable
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and packed tight with smelly
passengers,
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but Jack's was in a different class.
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It's beautifully padded.
It's like your sofa at home
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when you're just sitting there
watching the telly.
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When jack reached one of the new
coaching inns to overnight,
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his passengers went inside
to relax with a hot meal,
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and a freshly made-up bed.
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But...
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"Jack's long day wasn't over
until he'd washed,
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brushed and fed the horses.
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Often his own bed
was right beside them,
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along with any fleas and ticks that
might happen to be crawling around.
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One thing was for certain -
being a coachman was not giving jack
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the glamour that he craved.
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What he wanted was the fat-cat
lifestyle of his wealthy passengers.
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He'd seen them hand over wads
of cash every time they stopped
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to pay for the fancy wine
and the gorgeous meals
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while he had to bed down
in the stable.
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It was time for a career move.
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Jack was about to become
a highwayman.
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OLD WESTERN MUSIC PLAYS
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WHIP CRACKS AND HORSE WHINNIES
Yah!
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Stand and deliver!
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Even back then, highwaymen were
romantic figures,
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more daring and glamorous
than bog-standard robbers.
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The mid-Georgian period was
the heyday of the highwayman.
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There were loads and loads
of travellers around,
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there was no organised police force
to catch them,
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and like most highwaymen,
and indeed highway women,
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jack would ride up to the coach
with the travellers in it,
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he would shout,
"Your money or your life"... SCREAMING
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...and he would wave his pistol.
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Yah!
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But it was extremely dangerous.
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Passengers could carry guns, too.
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GUNSHOT
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So jack knew the risks,
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but he was determined that even if
his career was going to be
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really short, at least it would
be fun and exciting,
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and just great,
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so he dressed like a dandy.
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He had these silk breeches
and each one was tied with eight
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silver strings at the knee,
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so he got the nickname
Sixteen String jack,
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which is a pretty good nickname,
isn't it?
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And there was one victim
who remarked...
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PLUMMY VOICE:
"jack behaved exceeding civil,
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"and rather begged for the money
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"than used any violent means."
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WHISPERS: He was so cool.
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# Yeah, we run the roads
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# Yeah, we run the roads... #
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As jack notched up success
after success, his pile of cash
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and his charisma rapidly grew.
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CASH REGISTER PINGS
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But the authorities were on to him.
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He was caught and tried, not once...
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...but an incredible 17 times.
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And on each occasion, silver-tongued
jack out-witted the judge,
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and charmed the jury.
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But finally, in 1774,
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jack was accused of stealing from
the King's daughter's chaplain.
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What's wonderful is that you can
hear Jack's brass cheek
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and his accent
in the court transcript.
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He says,
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"I knows no more of it than
a child does unborn.
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"They have said false things
to you."
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But jack had made a fateful error.
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The court didn't take kindly
to the Princess's pastor
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being called a liar.
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He was found guilty,
and this being the Georgian era,
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he was sentenced to death.
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But, in true jack style,
he enjoyed a saucy last supper
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with the governor of Newgate prison
and seven delightful young ladies.
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The next day, a showman to the end,
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he danced a high jig
on the scaffold...
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...before the noose
tightened around his neck.
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Coming UP---
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...what happened to the seaman,
who jumped ship.
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This is what he would have got,
the cat 0' nine tails.
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Wham!
SCREAMING
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And don't break a leg -
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00:10:17,947 --> 00:10:20,642
facing surgery in Georgian Britain.
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Whoa, so that's just splitting me
right open all the way round.
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00:10:23,957 --> 00:10:24,932
Yes.
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00:10:33,096 --> 00:10:36,991
In Georgian times,
Britain began to rule the waves
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and ordinary men went off to sea,
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exploring, trading and generally
enjoying themselves far too much
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in ports across the globe.
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Hello, big boy.
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GLUGGING
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Another drink anyone?
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00:10:52,777 --> 00:10:58,071
One such man was a 24-year-old
Irish sailor called John Mara.
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He was minding his own business
one day in 1770,
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just hanging out at a lively port
on the Asian island of Java
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having a drink down by the harbour,
checking out the girls.
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00:11:10,026 --> 00:11:11,312
Oi, you!
212
00:11:11,337 --> 00:11:12,712
Grab him! Come here!
213
00:11:12,737 --> 00:11:16,152
When suddenly, John was
surrounded by British marines.
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Are you employed?
215
00:11:17,307 --> 00:11:18,772
They were looking for crewmen...
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00:11:18,797 --> 00:11:19,981
Who are you working for?
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00:11:20,006 --> 00:11:23,462
...and had the right to force
any seaman between 18 and 55
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to join their ship...
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00:11:24,647 --> 00:11:25,721
What's your name?
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00:11:25,746 --> 00:11:27,132
...whether he wanted to or not.
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John had no choice.
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He'd been press-ganged.
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00:11:33,747 --> 00:11:38,562
About a quarter of the navy's
sailors were recruited like this.
224
00:11:38,587 --> 00:11:42,892
So, who exactly was behind John's
dastardly kidnap?
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00:11:42,917 --> 00:11:47,742
None other than the famous explorer
Captain James Cook.
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00:11:47,767 --> 00:11:52,171
John was now a sailor in Cook's crew
on board HMS Endeavour.
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John Mara soon calmed down.
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He admitted that one ship was pretty
much as good as any other
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and only a fool would want to stay
in this disease-ridden port.
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So, he was welcomed on board.
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# Mama told me to never look back
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# She said strap your things
tight across your back... #
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In Georgian times, there was no such
thing as cabins for ordinary seamen.
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00:12:21,206 --> 00:12:25,412
So, when John first got on board,
he would have been given a hammock,
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would've gone below and found
somewhere to put it
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and that would have been his living
quarters for the rest of the voyage.
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But at least he travelled light,
238
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so storage of all his worldly goods
wouldn't be a problem.
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These were called ditty bags.
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This was where each sailor
kept his spare change of clothes,
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00:12:45,507 --> 00:12:49,032
his mementos, his knife, his Bible.
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That was the lot.
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00:12:51,377 --> 00:12:53,792
And John wouldn't even have had
a uniform to worry about
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because he wasn't an officer.
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# Strap your things tight across
your back, honey. #
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00:12:58,886 --> 00:13:01,242
So, this is where the men lived
247
00:13:01,267 --> 00:13:04,722
and down here was
the officer's quarters.
248
00:13:04,747 --> 00:13:08,282
And if any of the sailors
just went beyond that line,
249
00:13:08,307 --> 00:13:10,722
they could be shot by a marine.
250
00:13:10,747 --> 00:13:13,662
If you just looked an officer
in the eye,
251
00:13:13,687 --> 00:13:16,991
then you could be punished
for dumb insolence.
252
00:13:17,016 --> 00:13:19,712
But look at the difference.
253
00:13:19,737 --> 00:13:21,432
This was how the officers lived.
254
00:13:27,047 --> 00:13:29,162
John became a gunner's mate.
255
00:13:32,236 --> 00:13:36,592
His job was to keep the cannons
secure and the powder dry.
256
00:13:36,617 --> 00:13:40,032
He also made sure all
the ship's ropes, pulleys and sails
257
00:13:40,057 --> 00:13:41,322
were in good order.
258
00:13:42,667 --> 00:13:45,232
He'd work four hours on, eight off,
259
00:13:45,257 --> 00:13:47,842
with extra time off
when they reached port.
260
00:13:50,896 --> 00:13:57,112
Most clays, John would be faced with
just endless skies and endless seas.
261
00:13:57,137 --> 00:13:59,912
But it wasn't exactly peaceful.
262
00:13:59,937 --> 00:14:02,102
CLUCKING, BLEATING AND MOOING
263
00:14:02,127 --> 00:14:06,682
It's hard to imagine, but this deck
would've been covered in goats,
264
00:14:06,707 --> 00:14:09,881
sheep and chicken,
265
00:14:09,906 --> 00:14:11,792
EVE“ COWS.
266
00:14:11,817 --> 00:14:16,032
And some of the men had clumped
together and brought a pig on board.
267
00:14:16,057 --> 00:14:20,191
And all those animals would have
created a right old mess...
268
00:14:22,457 --> 00:14:27,282
...one that John and the other seamen
would have to clean up.
269
00:14:27,307 --> 00:14:30,372
Everyone knows that the sailors
used to scrub the decks
270
00:14:30,397 --> 00:14:33,472
and I'd always assumed that that
meant with a scrubbing brush,
271
00:14:33,497 --> 00:14:34,562
but it didn't.
272
00:14:34,587 --> 00:14:35,821
This is what they used.
273
00:14:35,846 --> 00:14:38,472
This is, like, a square of sandstone
274
00:14:38,497 --> 00:14:41,282
and you stuck a peg in it like that
and you went back and forward
275
00:14:41,307 --> 00:14:43,871
and back and forward, day after day.
276
00:14:43,896 --> 00:14:46,232
Essentially,
it was a discipline thing.
277
00:14:46,257 --> 00:14:50,512
It just kept the lads from arguing
and thumping each other,
278
00:14:50,537 --> 00:14:54,412
but it had a secondary effect
which they weren't at all aware of,
279
00:14:54,437 --> 00:14:56,442
is that it kept the germs down.
280
00:14:56,467 --> 00:15:00,712
So, essentially, ships were
a pretty healthy place to live.
281
00:15:00,737 --> 00:15:04,702
Though, after a few months at sea,
there would be less mess to clean up
282
00:15:04,727 --> 00:15:09,001
because all the animals
would have been eaten.
283
00:15:09,026 --> 00:15:13,672
Sophie Forgan,
an expert on Georgian naval cuisine,
284
00:15:13,697 --> 00:15:17,422
knows what kind of food John
would've been left with.
285
00:15:17,447 --> 00:15:20,422
That's a bit of really manky
salt pork.
286
00:15:20,447 --> 00:15:22,452
Now, that is as solid as a rock.
287
00:15:22,477 --> 00:15:24,302
How long would that have lasted?
288
00:15:24,327 --> 00:15:29,572
Well, they did last
up to three years. Urgh!
289
00:15:29,597 --> 00:15:32,981
But pretty awful by that time.
290
00:15:33,006 --> 00:15:35,181
It must have been incredibly salty.
291
00:15:35,206 --> 00:15:37,132
Very, very salty.
292
00:15:37,157 --> 00:15:43,932
But one way you got rid of the salt
was to put the joints in a small net
293
00:15:43,957 --> 00:15:49,142
and tow them behind the ship
to wash some of the excess salt off.
294
00:15:49,167 --> 00:15:53,102
Is it right that occasionally John
would be treated to something weird,
295
00:15:53,127 --> 00:15:54,731
like albatross?
296
00:15:54,756 --> 00:15:56,272
It is right.
297
00:15:56,297 --> 00:15:58,622
Everything they shot was eaten.
298
00:15:58,647 --> 00:16:03,731
The only one they turned
their backs on was walrus.
299
00:16:03,756 --> 00:16:05,092
SNORTING
300
00:16:05,117 --> 00:16:06,731
The sailors said, "No way."
301
00:16:08,717 --> 00:16:13,912
But there was one fate even worse
than walrus for breakfast -
302
00:16:13,937 --> 00:16:15,532
scurvy.
303
00:16:15,557 --> 00:16:19,012
On long voyages, it was the biggest
threat to John's life.
304
00:16:19,037 --> 00:16:22,182
The disease was caused
by a lack of vitamin C,
305
00:16:22,207 --> 00:16:25,941
and on some ships,
it killed half the crew.
306
00:16:25,966 --> 00:16:28,841
Men like John were terrified
of scurvy
307
00:16:28,866 --> 00:16:30,081
and you can't blame them.
308
00:16:30,106 --> 00:16:32,162
It was absolutely horrible.
309
00:16:32,187 --> 00:16:36,392
Your skin started to go pale,
your eyes sunk in,
310
00:16:36,417 --> 00:16:39,642
your gums went all swollen
and bloody,
311
00:16:39,667 --> 00:16:43,032
Your teeth fell out,
you got covered in bruises,
312
00:16:43,057 --> 00:16:46,001
then your arms and legs started
to go black.
313
00:16:46,026 --> 00:16:48,941
Death, when it came,
was a blessed relief.
314
00:16:51,886 --> 00:16:54,092
Luckily, John never got scurvy
315
00:16:54,117 --> 00:16:57,702
and travelling at a modest speed
of just under ten miles an hour
316
00:16:57,727 --> 00:17:01,422
made it as far away as it's
possible to be from Britain -
317
00:17:01,447 --> 00:17:03,212
the South Pacific.
318
00:17:05,607 --> 00:17:09,061
He must have thought he was
in paradise.
319
00:17:09,086 --> 00:17:11,811
In Tahiti, he got friendly
with the local chief,
320
00:17:11,836 --> 00:17:14,472
who apparently offered him
his own house,
321
00:17:14,497 --> 00:17:19,322
his own land and the prettiest girl
in the village to be his wife,
322
00:17:19,347 --> 00:17:23,282
chosen from among a dozen maidens.
323
00:17:23,307 --> 00:17:27,522
John was over the moon, "What
an offer! Let's get out of here!"
324
00:17:27,547 --> 00:17:31,042
And being a strong swimmer,
he knew when to make his move.
325
00:17:31,067 --> 00:17:33,841
He waited until the sails were
being lifted
326
00:17:33,866 --> 00:17:37,642
and the anchor was being weighed
and sprinted to the side,
327
00:17:37,667 --> 00:17:42,592
dived overboard and began swimming
through the crystal clear waters
328
00:17:42,617 --> 00:17:45,032
towards paradise.
329
00:17:45,057 --> 00:17:46,402
RECORD SCRATCH
330
00:17:46,427 --> 00:17:49,802
Unfortunately, he was spotted,
he was dragged back
331
00:17:49,827 --> 00:17:55,162
and brought dripping into the ship
to be punished by the captain.
332
00:17:57,217 --> 00:17:59,722
This is what he would have got,
the cat 0' nine tails.
333
00:17:59,747 --> 00:18:00,912
Wham!
334
00:18:00,937 --> 00:18:03,522
But he wouldn't have been
standing up.
335
00:18:03,547 --> 00:18:06,682
He would have to lie down like this.
336
00:18:06,707 --> 00:18:09,522
And this was known
as kissing the gunner's daughter
337
00:18:09,547 --> 00:18:13,282
and get whacked on the back
and on the bottom.
338
00:18:13,307 --> 00:18:15,722
A dozen lashes,
that was the standard dose,
339
00:18:15,747 --> 00:18:18,881
although, quite honestly,
for a bloke like Mara,
340
00:18:18,906 --> 00:18:21,162
I don't think it would've made
any difference.
341
00:18:24,036 --> 00:18:26,812
After five years sailing
round the world with Cook,
342
00:18:26,837 --> 00:18:29,841
John finally returned to Britain.
343
00:18:29,866 --> 00:18:33,242
He'd made a bit of money
and he could've called it quits,
344
00:18:33,267 --> 00:18:36,081
settled down in Ireland
in a cottage by the sea.
345
00:18:38,106 --> 00:18:39,881
But he didn't.
346
00:18:39,906 --> 00:18:43,322
Grog got the better of him
and he drank it all away.
347
00:18:48,837 --> 00:18:51,385
And the last time
we ever hear of him
348
00:18:51,410 --> 00:18:54,462
is in a port on the coast
of Australia,
349
00:18:54,487 --> 00:18:57,512
looking for another berth,
another ship
350
00:18:57,537 --> 00:18:58,871
and another adventure.
351
00:19:08,137 --> 00:19:12,312
One thing you definitely didn't want
to be in Georgian times
352
00:19:12,337 --> 00:19:14,032
was ill.
353
00:19:14,057 --> 00:19:16,751
You might find yourself being
bled for acne.
354
00:19:16,776 --> 00:19:18,081
Oh, God!
355
00:19:18,106 --> 00:19:20,751
Or get tobacco smoke blown up
your bottom...
356
00:19:20,776 --> 00:19:22,362
...to cure a headache.
357
00:19:23,467 --> 00:19:26,542
And as for surgery,
even if you could afford it,
358
00:19:26,567 --> 00:19:28,152
run a mile, if you're able to.
359
00:19:29,557 --> 00:19:33,302
If you were poor, naturally,
you'd be stuffed either way,
360
00:19:33,327 --> 00:19:37,222
unless you happened to be in
the right place at the right time,
361
00:19:37,247 --> 00:19:40,572
which surprisingly could be
somewhere round here.
362
00:19:42,687 --> 00:19:46,861
It's just another day in London's
most notorious district,
363
00:19:46,886 --> 00:19:49,132
Jacob's Island, near London Bridge.
364
00:19:50,267 --> 00:19:52,782
Also known as the capital of cholera
365
00:19:52,807 --> 00:19:54,702
or the Venice of Slums.
366
00:19:55,756 --> 00:19:58,342
Houses rotted by dampness,
367
00:19:58,367 --> 00:20:01,702
windows covered in paper and rags,
368
00:20:01,727 --> 00:20:04,442
the whole place overcrowded
with people
369
00:20:04,467 --> 00:20:07,081
and dirty-faced kids
swarming everywhere.
370
00:20:09,217 --> 00:20:12,741
One of the residents,
60-year-old Elizabeth Regan,
371
00:20:12,766 --> 00:20:18,472
is woken up really early by the
racket of people clattering past.
372
00:20:18,497 --> 00:20:22,961
When she's emptied the contents of
her chamber pot out of the window,
373
00:20:22,986 --> 00:20:26,122
she pops out and joins
the queue for the pump
374
00:20:26,147 --> 00:20:27,812
to get some water for her stew.
375
00:20:30,307 --> 00:20:34,802
In Georgian times,
60 was considered pretty ancient,
376
00:20:34,827 --> 00:20:38,382
so Elizabeth was probably shacked up
with her grown-up children,
377
00:20:38,407 --> 00:20:41,601
helping out with the cooking
and the shopping.
378
00:20:41,626 --> 00:20:44,061
Nearby Borough Market was the
perfect place
379
00:20:44,086 --> 00:20:45,851
for her to bag a bargain.
380
00:20:45,876 --> 00:20:47,851
BELL TOLLS
381
00:20:49,407 --> 00:20:53,611
This particular morning, she was
rushing down Borough High Street
382
00:20:53,636 --> 00:20:58,252
avoiding all the crowds of people
and the horse-drawn carts.
383
00:21:03,167 --> 00:21:05,652
And as she's crossing the road...
384
00:21:07,167 --> 00:21:08,372
...she trips over...
385
00:21:10,597 --> 00:21:12,452
...a cart runs over her leg...
386
00:21:12,477 --> 00:21:15,262
WOMAN SCREAMING
387
00:21:15,287 --> 00:21:17,482
...multiple compound fractures.
388
00:21:17,507 --> 00:21:21,751
And remember in those clays,
there were no ambulances, no NHS.
389
00:21:21,776 --> 00:21:25,402
But she's very lucky
because the accident has happened
390
00:21:25,427 --> 00:21:29,392
just outside one of the most
important hospitals in London
391
00:21:29,417 --> 00:21:33,552
that's been here since
medieval times, St Thomas'.
392
00:21:35,497 --> 00:21:37,631
There must've been
a friendly bystander
393
00:21:37,656 --> 00:21:39,881
who helped her limp to the door.
394
00:21:39,906 --> 00:21:44,812
Then Elizabeth would have been
carried up these stairs.
395
00:21:44,837 --> 00:21:49,272
52 ancient, cranky, wooden steps.
396
00:21:49,297 --> 00:21:52,112
You really do feel like you're
walking back into history.
397
00:21:54,147 --> 00:21:58,562
Next, bleeding, in pain
and on the edge of consciousness,
398
00:21:58,587 --> 00:22:00,881
Elizabeth wouldn't have been certain
that the hospital
399
00:22:00,906 --> 00:22:02,322
would even admit her.
400
00:22:04,106 --> 00:22:08,122
Julie Mathias knows all about the
history of St Thomas'.
401
00:22:08,147 --> 00:22:10,711
If I came here,
I've had a road accident
402
00:22:10,736 --> 00:22:12,692
and my legs are all smashed up,
403
00:22:12,717 --> 00:22:15,922
my mates carry me here,
dump me on the floor -
404
00:22:15,947 --> 00:22:17,612
what would be your response?
405
00:22:17,637 --> 00:22:20,272
Well, you would actually be quite
fortunate in that case
406
00:22:20,297 --> 00:22:25,631
because the hospital provided one
ward to access cases of an emergency
407
00:22:25,656 --> 00:22:26,831
such as yours. Casualty?
408
00:22:26,856 --> 00:22:29,072
Absolutely. So I've actually
come to Casualty.
409
00:22:29,097 --> 00:22:32,402
Priority patients as you were,
yes, indeed.
410
00:22:32,427 --> 00:22:35,192
So, things are sort of looking up.
411
00:22:35,217 --> 00:22:37,831
Despite being from
the worst postcode in London,
412
00:22:37,856 --> 00:22:41,202
Elizabeth had a world-leading
surgeon on her case.
413
00:22:43,147 --> 00:22:45,432
I'm going to put myself
in her place
414
00:22:45,457 --> 00:22:48,162
to get an idea of what Elizabeth
went through
415
00:22:48,187 --> 00:22:50,761
in Europe's oldest
operating theatre.
416
00:22:54,297 --> 00:22:55,631
Coming UP---
417
00:22:55,656 --> 00:22:57,582
...Casualty, Georgian style.
418
00:22:57,607 --> 00:23:00,372
That's actually to stop the blood
going through the floorboards.
419
00:23:00,397 --> 00:23:02,821
Can the surgeons save Elizabeth?
420
00:23:02,846 --> 00:23:06,611
And risking everything to put
a decent meal on the table.
421
00:23:06,636 --> 00:23:08,232
Along comes Mr Rabbit.
422
00:23:08,257 --> 00:23:10,229
La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
423
00:23:10,254 --> 00:23:12,252
Oh! Goodness!
424
00:23:20,967 --> 00:23:23,791
London, 1824.
425
00:23:23,816 --> 00:23:28,382
60-year-old Elizabeth Regan,
a poor lady from a local slum,
426
00:23:28,407 --> 00:23:33,072
has been involved in a road traffic
accident and broken her leg.
427
00:23:33,097 --> 00:23:35,942
Luckily, she'd been admitted
to St Thomas' Hospital
428
00:23:35,967 --> 00:23:37,422
for emergency surgery.
429
00:23:38,537 --> 00:23:42,502
Unluckily for Elizabeth,
it's the Georgian times.
430
00:23:42,527 --> 00:23:45,982
I'm following the surgery
in Elizabeth's footsteps.
431
00:23:46,007 --> 00:23:49,701
Well, footstep.
Karen Howell is my surgeon.
432
00:23:49,726 --> 00:23:51,382
Scary!
433
00:23:51,407 --> 00:23:53,062
Karen, presumably
you'll operate on me,
434
00:23:53,087 --> 00:23:55,531
because you've got
the pinafore on. That's right.
435
00:23:55,556 --> 00:23:57,942
I'm the operator for today,
the surgeon, for you,
436
00:23:57,967 --> 00:24:00,451
so I'm hoping to amputate your leg.
437
00:24:01,847 --> 00:24:04,172
Elizabeth must have been
a tough cookie,
438
00:24:04,197 --> 00:24:07,372
but this experience
would have terrified her.
439
00:24:07,397 --> 00:24:09,382
I must admit,
I'm already quite nervous.
440
00:24:09,407 --> 00:24:11,531
Just below me here... Yeah.
441
00:24:11,556 --> 00:24:13,422
...look at this.
442
00:24:13,447 --> 00:24:17,312
This sawdust, presumably,
is for collecting my blood
443
00:24:17,337 --> 00:24:19,512
and bits and pieces.
You've got that right.
444
00:24:19,537 --> 00:24:21,711
That's actually
to stop the blood going
445
00:24:21,736 --> 00:24:24,152
through the floorboards.
The church is below us.
446
00:24:24,177 --> 00:24:26,002
There was a church underneath?
447
00:24:26,027 --> 00:24:28,661
I don't want to drip
on the congregation. That's right.
448
00:24:28,686 --> 00:24:30,382
But fear not, Elizabeth,
449
00:24:30,407 --> 00:24:33,102
you're getting hi-tech treatment.
450
00:24:33,127 --> 00:24:35,911
The operating table
was the latest design,
451
00:24:35,936 --> 00:24:39,632
featuring a pop-out platform
for Elizabeth's good leg.
452
00:24:39,657 --> 00:24:42,432
Even a headrest, and the table
was a handy height
453
00:24:42,457 --> 00:24:44,142
for holding her down.
454
00:24:44,167 --> 00:24:45,352
Thoughtful touch.
455
00:24:48,327 --> 00:24:50,302
Tourniquets on to limit the damage.
456
00:24:50,327 --> 00:24:52,902
We're managing your blood,
so that when we cut,
457
00:24:52,927 --> 00:24:54,581
I don't lose much blood.
458
00:24:56,327 --> 00:24:58,822
But that wasn't all Elizabeth
had to cope with.
459
00:24:58,847 --> 00:25:02,461
She suffered this indignity in front
of crowds of people
460
00:25:02,486 --> 00:25:05,102
who were making an incredible amount
of noise,
461
00:25:05,127 --> 00:25:08,862
yelling at the assistants
to keep their heads out of the way.
462
00:25:08,887 --> 00:25:11,711
There would be a few medical
students, naturally,
463
00:25:11,736 --> 00:25:16,222
but, in some hospitals,
they actually issued tickets.
464
00:25:16,247 --> 00:25:19,642
There was no anaesthetic,
just a piece of leather to chew on
465
00:25:19,667 --> 00:25:22,872
and maybe a prayer
before the chop came.
466
00:25:24,187 --> 00:25:25,512
In the 18th century,
467
00:25:25,537 --> 00:25:28,892
the Georgian method is circular
action on one knee.
468
00:25:28,917 --> 00:25:32,092
Are you ready? Yeah.
We have permission to amputate
469
00:25:32,117 --> 00:25:33,771
and you're bracing yourself.
470
00:25:33,796 --> 00:25:36,531
There's an old technique
they call the tour de maitre -
471
00:25:36,556 --> 00:25:40,172
master's round - goes
round like this and you can see
472
00:25:40,197 --> 00:25:42,372
what's going to happen.
So we're ready.
473
00:25:42,397 --> 00:25:44,432
And pull round like this.
SQUELCHING SOUND EFFECT
474
00:25:44,457 --> 00:25:47,902
Whoa! So that's just splitting me
right open all the way round.
475
00:25:47,927 --> 00:25:50,992
And the idea was, then you take
the saw... Oh, my God.
476
00:25:51,017 --> 00:25:54,172
We know, really, it's about six
to eight cuts through that one bone.
477
00:25:54,197 --> 00:25:55,781
Very fast saws, they are.
478
00:25:55,806 --> 00:25:58,152
It's horrible
just seeing you do that.
479
00:25:58,177 --> 00:26:01,822
Then that is the bone through.
So my leg's gone now? Yeah.
480
00:26:01,847 --> 00:26:03,622
There's no leg there now.
481
00:26:07,457 --> 00:26:13,032
Elizabeth began to faint, but got
a hefty slap to keep her conscious.
482
00:26:14,626 --> 00:26:17,591
With blood everywhere,
she must hang on in there.
483
00:26:22,746 --> 00:26:24,711
The arteries are now severed.
484
00:26:24,736 --> 00:26:27,432
We need to act quickly
to close up the wound.
485
00:26:27,457 --> 00:26:31,484
Basically, we put a thread through
there - a big, thick thread -
486
00:26:31,509 --> 00:26:33,350
and tie it like a drawstring bag.
487
00:26:39,245 --> 00:26:41,659
The operation was a success.
488
00:26:41,684 --> 00:26:45,659
Well, at least Elizabeth didn't die
on the operating table.
489
00:26:45,684 --> 00:26:48,860
But then came the tricky
bit - recovery.
490
00:26:48,885 --> 00:26:51,940
Thanks to the unsanitary conditions
in the hospital,
491
00:26:51,965 --> 00:26:55,579
Elizabeth's chance of survival
was just one in three.
492
00:26:57,115 --> 00:27:01,860
Despite her ordeal in the operating
theatre, Elizabeth didn't make it.
493
00:27:01,885 --> 00:27:03,449
She never left the ward.
494
00:27:03,474 --> 00:27:07,430
Within a week,
she died of infection.
495
00:27:07,455 --> 00:27:11,300
And yet, within 50 years,
the medical profession had started
496
00:27:11,325 --> 00:27:14,860
to become aware of bacteria
and began cleaning
497
00:27:14,885 --> 00:27:18,500
their surgical instruments
and their operating theatres.
498
00:27:18,525 --> 00:27:22,940
Although, sadly, for one brave
Georgian, that came too late.
499
00:27:28,415 --> 00:27:31,789
One of the biggest problems
for the poor in Georgian times
500
00:27:31,814 --> 00:27:35,659
was that they were powerless
to change their lot.
501
00:27:35,684 --> 00:27:37,840
Ordinary people couldn't vote,
502
00:27:37,865 --> 00:27:42,090
so the laws were made by the rich
and for the rich.
503
00:27:42,115 --> 00:27:45,230
And to keep the working
class under control,
504
00:27:45,255 --> 00:27:48,510
the powerful voted in a long
list of crimes
505
00:27:48,535 --> 00:27:50,449
you could be hanged for -
506
00:27:50,474 --> 00:27:52,459
over 200 of them, in fact.
507
00:27:52,484 --> 00:27:53,990
SCREAMING
508
00:27:55,484 --> 00:28:00,380
You could be strung up for anything
from, oh, destroying a tollgate...
509
00:28:02,085 --> 00:28:04,500
...to impersonating
a Chelsea pensioner.
510
00:28:04,525 --> 00:28:06,459
How dare you?!
511
00:28:06,484 --> 00:28:11,290
But even more serious was pinching
the toffs' game.
512
00:28:11,315 --> 00:28:15,579
Local rumour down here in Hampshire
at the time suggested
513
00:28:15,604 --> 00:28:19,370
that Charles Smith
was a practitioner at the dark art
514
00:28:19,395 --> 00:28:24,300
of poaching - although no-one
had ever actually seen him do it.
515
00:28:24,325 --> 00:28:28,220
This looks like Charles in 1821,
aged 28,
516
00:28:28,245 --> 00:28:29,220
with his son.
517
00:28:30,494 --> 00:28:34,709
Standing a 6ft tall when the average
was just 5ft 5,
518
00:28:34,734 --> 00:28:38,310
he was thought a rather
romantic figure.
519
00:28:38,335 --> 00:28:40,940
He even married above his station.
520
00:28:40,965 --> 00:28:44,690
Charles lived with his wife, who was
the daughter of a wealthy farmer,
521
00:28:44,715 --> 00:28:48,430
and his kids and his little
terrier in a cottage
522
00:28:48,455 --> 00:28:50,539
very much like this one.
523
00:28:58,484 --> 00:29:00,430
So, he'd got a roof over his head,
524
00:29:00,455 --> 00:29:02,620
probably thatched like this one.
525
00:29:02,645 --> 00:29:05,070
This is actually quite gorgeous,
isn't it?
526
00:29:05,095 --> 00:29:08,709
But to feed his family,
Charles needed money.
527
00:29:08,734 --> 00:29:12,779
Some of it came from his day job
as a casual labourer.
528
00:29:12,804 --> 00:29:16,250
He could get the occasional day
digging ditches,
529
00:29:16,275 --> 00:29:19,100
lugging clay around
at the brick kilns,
530
00:29:19,125 --> 00:29:21,789
scraping the skins at the tanners.
531
00:29:23,415 --> 00:29:27,090
And, back in the old clays, that
might have been enough to buy things
532
00:29:27,115 --> 00:29:29,420
like butter, cheese
533
00:29:29,445 --> 00:29:31,890
and the occasional bit
of meat for dinner.
534
00:29:32,995 --> 00:29:36,090
But getting food on the table
was getting harder and harder.
535
00:29:38,804 --> 00:29:43,420
A run of terrible harvests,
new food laws and fat landowners
536
00:29:43,445 --> 00:29:47,180
jacking up their prices
changed everything.
537
00:29:47,205 --> 00:29:51,669
Now, to avoid starvation, families
like Charles's had to spend
538
00:29:51,694 --> 00:29:54,669
all their money
just to buy the basics.
539
00:29:54,694 --> 00:29:57,230
This is how the food
would have been cooked.
540
00:29:57,255 --> 00:30:00,270
Although it would have been pretty
rudimentary -
541
00:30:00,295 --> 00:30:04,669
something like tatters and shake,
which was potatoes with salt on it,
542
00:30:04,694 --> 00:30:10,339
or a flat bread like something
that you get in the kebab shop -
543
00:30:10,364 --> 00:30:13,260
the difference being that
there was no meat in it.
544
00:30:13,285 --> 00:30:16,339
In fact, they had virtually
no protein at all.
545
00:30:16,364 --> 00:30:17,980
CHILD CRIES
546
00:30:18,005 --> 00:30:20,589
I want some protein!
547
00:30:20,614 --> 00:30:24,900
And, in 1816, the government made it
illegal for ordinary people
548
00:30:24,925 --> 00:30:27,260
to hunt and kill any sort of game...
549
00:30:27,285 --> 00:30:28,870
GUNSHOT
550
00:30:28,895 --> 00:30:30,870
...even wild rabbits.
551
00:30:30,895 --> 00:30:32,740
Oh, courgettes in butter!
552
00:30:32,765 --> 00:30:35,150
So while the rich had more fine food
553
00:30:35,175 --> 00:30:37,310
than they could
fill their faces with...
554
00:30:39,215 --> 00:30:42,050
...Charles and his family
were starving.
555
00:30:42,075 --> 00:30:44,110
Mm, halibut!
556
00:30:44,135 --> 00:30:47,690
Charles's local landowner
was an aristocrat called
557
00:30:47,715 --> 00:30:50,579
Henry Temple Viscount
Lord Palmerston,
558
00:30:50,604 --> 00:30:52,419
which is a bit of a mouthful,
559
00:30:52,444 --> 00:30:54,620
and he was
the future Prime Minister.
560
00:30:54,645 --> 00:30:58,250
He loved having fancy parties
for his hunting friends
561
00:30:58,275 --> 00:31:02,620
and his estates were jam-packed
full of deer and pheasant
562
00:31:02,645 --> 00:31:05,950
and partridge and all sorts
of yummy treats.
563
00:31:09,245 --> 00:31:11,380
So if a man's kids were hungry,
564
00:31:11,405 --> 00:31:12,950
what else was he supposed to do?
565
00:31:14,765 --> 00:31:16,669
Charles turned to poaching.
566
00:31:19,525 --> 00:31:24,539
Seb Littlewood is an expert
on poaching in Georgian times.
567
00:31:24,564 --> 00:31:27,329
What kind of snares or traps
did Charles use?
568
00:31:27,354 --> 00:31:29,740
There were small traps,
like these small animal traps,
569
00:31:29,765 --> 00:31:32,950
so... What is it that?
It looks like a trap for fairies.
570
00:31:32,975 --> 00:31:35,150
Yeah, it's about the right size.
571
00:31:35,175 --> 00:31:36,870
So this is this is how this
operates.
572
00:31:36,895 --> 00:31:39,589
So it's sprung by pushing this down.
573
00:31:39,614 --> 00:31:42,030
You open the teeth
574
00:31:42,055 --> 00:31:45,320
and then we clip that up like that.
575
00:31:45,345 --> 00:31:47,349
OK, so it's all set for the rabbit.
576
00:31:47,374 --> 00:31:49,419
Along comes Mr Rabbit. Yeah.
577
00:31:49,444 --> 00:31:52,180
# La-la-la. #
La-la-la-la-la-la-la.
578
00:31:52,205 --> 00:31:54,990
Oh, God! That's so horrible,
isn't it?
579
00:31:55,015 --> 00:31:56,539
It's not nice.
580
00:31:56,564 --> 00:31:59,060
And, presumably,
the thing about leaving
581
00:31:59,085 --> 00:32:01,290
a few of these around is
that it means the gamekeeper
582
00:32:01,315 --> 00:32:03,040
will know that
there are poachers about.
583
00:32:03,065 --> 00:32:06,319
If the gamekeeper comes across them,
he knows people are out and about.
584
00:32:06,344 --> 00:32:08,490
Poacher comes back
to check his traps.
585
00:32:08,515 --> 00:32:10,170
Gotcha. Gotcha. Yeah.
586
00:32:11,505 --> 00:32:16,180
So a rabbit trap could become a trap
for the poacher who set it.
587
00:32:16,205 --> 00:32:18,380
SCREAMING
588
00:32:18,405 --> 00:32:22,830
So if Charles wanted something much
bigger and much more effective,
589
00:32:22,855 --> 00:32:24,110
what might he do?
590
00:32:24,135 --> 00:32:25,469
Well, there is this option.
591
00:32:27,364 --> 00:32:31,150
I suppose, something like this.
Hey-hey!
592
00:32:31,175 --> 00:32:33,960
Would you actually be able to bring
down something like a rabbit
593
00:32:33,985 --> 00:32:36,679
with that? You would.
Although it's a musket,
594
00:32:36,704 --> 00:32:39,950
it works much the same way
as a modern shotgun.
595
00:32:39,975 --> 00:32:42,390
Oh, so you put pellets in it?
Pellets in it.
596
00:32:42,415 --> 00:32:45,140
This was scattershot -
meant that, hopefully,
597
00:32:45,165 --> 00:32:48,030
anything sort of ten, 15 yards away,
598
00:32:48,055 --> 00:32:51,710
you're going to hit it.
But isn't there a big drawback
599
00:32:51,735 --> 00:32:54,390
to using a gun - the bang? The bang,
600
00:32:54,415 --> 00:32:57,140
the size. Absolutely.
601
00:32:57,165 --> 00:32:59,700
Generally, the whole idea
about poaching
602
00:32:59,725 --> 00:33:03,100
is you're relying on stealth,
on a level of secrecy.
603
00:33:03,125 --> 00:33:04,870
Something like this,
604
00:33:04,895 --> 00:33:06,750
you're going to hear it from half
a mile away.
605
00:33:06,775 --> 00:33:08,020
GUNSHOT
606
00:33:09,955 --> 00:33:13,750
But Charles was presented
with an irresistible opportunity.
607
00:33:13,775 --> 00:33:16,459
On the 22nd of November, 1820,
608
00:33:16,484 --> 00:33:19,329
there was a big and noisy
local festival.
609
00:33:19,354 --> 00:33:22,510
Oh, revel, revel, revel.
I do love a revel. Ha-ha!
610
00:33:22,535 --> 00:33:26,280
None of the revellers, Charles
figured, would hear his musket
611
00:33:26,305 --> 00:33:27,669
in the distant woods.
612
00:33:27,694 --> 00:33:29,329
Hooray!
613
00:33:34,474 --> 00:33:38,810
When it was dark, Charles went
over to his hiding place,
614
00:33:38,835 --> 00:33:41,740
produced his musket,
615
00:33:41,765 --> 00:33:44,329
and he would
have had a big tunic on,
616
00:33:44,354 --> 00:33:47,610
with a pocket in it down here
somewhere, and he would put the butt
617
00:33:47,635 --> 00:33:49,519
in it to support it.
618
00:33:49,544 --> 00:33:54,090
And then he would sneak out,
hoping that, before morning,
619
00:33:54,115 --> 00:33:57,960
he would have been able to find
something warm and furry
620
00:33:57,985 --> 00:34:02,339
with which he could feed
his family the next day.
621
00:34:02,364 --> 00:34:06,060
The weather was perfect -
just enough moon to light the way
622
00:34:06,085 --> 00:34:10,549
and just enough wind in the trees
to mask the sound of footfall.
623
00:34:11,645 --> 00:34:14,219
Taking his terrier,
Charles made his way
624
00:34:14,244 --> 00:34:17,240
to collect his brother-in-law,
John Pointer.
625
00:34:17,265 --> 00:34:19,310
Then the two of them pressed on
626
00:34:19,335 --> 00:34:24,100
to the plantation of Palmerston's
estate with all its rich pickings.
627
00:34:27,634 --> 00:34:30,359
Cautiously, they crept to the spot
where they'd seen
628
00:34:30,384 --> 00:34:32,870
pheasants roosting earlier.
629
00:34:32,895 --> 00:34:34,750
Charles raised his gun.
630
00:34:36,005 --> 00:34:39,669
But, unfortunately,
deputy gamekeeper Robert Snelgrove
631
00:34:39,694 --> 00:34:42,510
was a party pooper
who'd rather be lying in wait
632
00:34:42,535 --> 00:34:44,950
for poachers than revelling.
633
00:34:44,975 --> 00:34:48,830
As soon as he heard Smith's gun,
he was after them.
634
00:34:48,855 --> 00:34:51,790
Snelgrove caught up with them
and, as he did so,
635
00:34:51,815 --> 00:34:53,310
there was a bang...
636
00:34:54,985 --> 00:34:57,060
...and an almighty cloud of smoke.
637
00:35:01,935 --> 00:35:07,219
It cleared to reveal Snelgrove
bleeding badly from his thigh.
638
00:35:07,244 --> 00:35:09,910
The poachers were nowhere
to be seen.
639
00:35:11,615 --> 00:35:13,860
Charles Smith went on the run,
640
00:35:13,885 --> 00:35:18,679
but Snelgrove had seen his face
clearly enough to identify him.
641
00:35:18,704 --> 00:35:21,469
It took them over a year
to catch up with Charles.
642
00:35:21,494 --> 00:35:24,429
But, eventually,
he was tried in Winchester
643
00:35:24,454 --> 00:35:28,190
and on March the 23rd, 1822,
he was hanged.
644
00:35:30,815 --> 00:35:35,270
Charles was one of the last men hung
for poaching under the Georgians.
645
00:35:37,254 --> 00:35:39,710
He was unlucky. Just a year later,
646
00:35:39,735 --> 00:35:43,950
the law was changed and poaching
was no longer punishable by death.
647
00:35:46,295 --> 00:35:50,710
Coming up, a gin hawker who sells
her spirits at the gallows.
648
00:35:50,735 --> 00:35:53,309
If you're going to go see a proper
set of hangings for the day,
649
00:35:53,334 --> 00:35:55,679
you're going to need refreshment.
You're going to need gin.
650
00:36:04,315 --> 00:36:09,651
In Georgian times, the countryside
was beginning to get crowded.
651
00:36:09,676 --> 00:36:14,451
So a lot of ordinary country folk
started heading off to the cities.
652
00:36:14,476 --> 00:36:18,081
And nowhere was a more seductive
destination
653
00:36:18,106 --> 00:36:19,521
than the booming capital.
654
00:36:21,756 --> 00:36:24,571
In the 1730s,
the whole of London was squashed
655
00:36:24,596 --> 00:36:27,681
into a fraction of its size today.
656
00:36:27,706 --> 00:36:31,941
London started here, around about
Tower Bridge - that's there -
657
00:36:31,966 --> 00:36:34,681
and stretched about a mile
in this direction
658
00:36:34,706 --> 00:36:37,290
over towards Westminster.
659
00:36:37,315 --> 00:36:39,731
And that was London.
660
00:36:39,756 --> 00:36:44,521
And it was ram-packed full.
About 700,000 people and dogs
661
00:36:44,546 --> 00:36:46,721
and horses and other animals.
662
00:36:46,746 --> 00:36:51,891
And amongst this hurly-burly
was a woman called Elizabeth Bowman.
663
00:36:54,146 --> 00:36:55,581
She's in there somewhere.
664
00:36:57,096 --> 00:36:58,121
That's her.
665
00:36:59,736 --> 00:37:03,061
Elizabeth was one of the many
young single women
666
00:37:03,086 --> 00:37:05,240
who saw an opportunity to make money
667
00:37:05,265 --> 00:37:08,290
from Georgian London's
expanding population.
668
00:37:08,315 --> 00:37:11,321
Six clays a week,
she'd get up at sunrise and leave
669
00:37:11,346 --> 00:37:14,651
her small, rented room
to come shopping here
670
00:37:14,676 --> 00:37:17,091
at Covent Garden market.
671
00:37:17,116 --> 00:37:18,811
It was the best place in London
672
00:37:18,836 --> 00:37:22,401
to buy juniper berries,
herbs and spices.
673
00:37:22,426 --> 00:37:25,051
Because Elizabeth
was a maker and seller
674
00:37:25,076 --> 00:37:29,221
of the capital's most popular
recreational product - gin.
675
00:37:30,756 --> 00:37:32,941
In Georgian times, in London,
676
00:37:32,966 --> 00:37:35,331
they were knocking back
an incredible
677
00:37:35,356 --> 00:37:39,511
seven million gallons of gin
every year.
678
00:37:39,536 --> 00:37:41,711
That's... It's stupid!
679
00:37:41,736 --> 00:37:46,071
...two pints of gin every week
for every adult.
680
00:37:46,096 --> 00:37:47,220
Oh, thank you.
681
00:37:48,896 --> 00:37:52,551
Two pints is what we drink,
on average, per year.
682
00:37:52,576 --> 00:37:54,951
I mean, all right, I'm slightly
more than the average,
683
00:37:54,976 --> 00:37:56,150
but you know what I mean.
684
00:37:58,216 --> 00:38:01,631
Anyway, Elizabeth certainly
had a lot of eager customers
685
00:38:01,656 --> 00:38:05,480
for her product,
but what was her life like?
686
00:38:05,505 --> 00:38:09,301
Anistatia Miller is an expert
on drinking in the 18th century.
687
00:38:11,776 --> 00:38:14,101
Why do you reckon a woman
like Elizabeth would have got
688
00:38:14,126 --> 00:38:15,791
involved in the gin-making trade?
689
00:38:15,816 --> 00:38:21,151
Because, if you were a good girl,
you would want to do something
690
00:38:21,176 --> 00:38:24,050
where it's honourable enough
that you could sell something,
691
00:38:24,075 --> 00:38:26,861
you could make something,
you could make enough of a profit.
692
00:38:26,886 --> 00:38:29,891
So are you implying that she could
avoid the sex trade?
693
00:38:29,916 --> 00:38:31,370
She could avoid the sex trade.
694
00:38:33,395 --> 00:38:37,461
An incredible 20% of Georgian
London's young women were involved
695
00:38:37,486 --> 00:38:41,731
in the sex trade, whereas selling
and making gin was considered
696
00:38:41,756 --> 00:38:44,011
far more respectable.
697
00:38:44,036 --> 00:38:47,170
For Elizabeth, it meant she could
afford a new bonnet
698
00:38:47,195 --> 00:38:50,160
when she needed,
or visit one of the new theatres
699
00:38:50,185 --> 00:38:52,821
that were springing up
around Covent Garden.
700
00:38:52,846 --> 00:38:56,130
And she might even treat herself
to a ball of scented soap
701
00:38:56,155 --> 00:38:58,370
for her daily ablutions.
702
00:38:58,395 --> 00:39:02,411
Making gin was a bit of
a dodgy business.
703
00:39:02,436 --> 00:39:07,260
First, Elizabeth probably blagged
a jug or two of rough, neat spirit
704
00:39:07,285 --> 00:39:09,221
from the local distillery.
705
00:39:09,246 --> 00:39:11,011
No questions asked.
706
00:39:12,246 --> 00:39:14,971
OK, so Elizabeth's got some
of this dodgy stuff.
707
00:39:14,996 --> 00:39:17,211
She takes it home. Yes.
What does she do?
708
00:39:17,236 --> 00:39:20,300
Well, she's going
to make it into gin.
709
00:39:20,325 --> 00:39:23,011
Easiest way is you take your
spirit...
710
00:39:25,886 --> 00:39:29,290
She probably used just regular
crockery, jugs, things like that.
711
00:39:29,315 --> 00:39:30,941
Now, here's the important part.
712
00:39:30,966 --> 00:39:32,821
She had to have juniper.
713
00:39:32,846 --> 00:39:34,971
Is that the thing that really marks
gin out?
714
00:39:34,996 --> 00:39:37,021
That is what gin is.
715
00:39:37,046 --> 00:39:38,771
But juniper berries were pricey
716
00:39:38,796 --> 00:39:42,250
and might sometimes
have been beyond Elizabeth's budget.
717
00:39:42,275 --> 00:39:47,290
Other way to do it, to get
that piney smell, was to use this.
718
00:39:47,315 --> 00:39:48,861
Blimey! I know what that is!
719
00:39:48,886 --> 00:39:50,731
Is that paint stripper?
720
00:39:50,756 --> 00:39:53,681
Well, it's oil of turps. Turps? Yes.
721
00:39:53,706 --> 00:39:56,331
They used to tip turps
into the gin?
722
00:39:56,356 --> 00:39:59,571
Well, they also used to take
oil of vitriol to give it
723
00:39:59,596 --> 00:40:03,250
a little bit of peppery bite.
Which is what? Sulphuric acid.
724
00:40:03,275 --> 00:40:05,531
Oh, that's ridiculous! Oh, I know.
725
00:40:05,556 --> 00:40:07,221
And if she was feeling creative,
726
00:40:07,246 --> 00:40:10,881
Elizabeth may have added her own
herbs and spices, as well.
727
00:40:10,906 --> 00:40:12,170
Seal this up.
728
00:40:12,195 --> 00:40:14,101
Let it sit overnight
and you're done.
729
00:40:14,126 --> 00:40:15,240
You've made gin.
730
00:40:17,926 --> 00:40:19,901
Once Elizabeth had made her gin,
731
00:40:19,926 --> 00:40:23,611
the next challenge was to flog
her dodgy home-brew.
732
00:40:23,636 --> 00:40:27,421
One of the most horrible things
confronting Elizabeth daily
733
00:40:27,446 --> 00:40:29,771
would have been the sheer
filthiness of London.
734
00:40:29,796 --> 00:40:32,541
There'd have been rubbish strewn
all over the place,
735
00:40:32,566 --> 00:40:34,771
pigs snorting everywhere.
736
00:40:34,796 --> 00:40:38,091
And, in the clays before mains
sewers had been put in,
737
00:40:38,116 --> 00:40:40,901
human effluent was just chucked
into the street,
738
00:40:40,926 --> 00:40:45,331
or else - whoosh - went
straight into the River Thames.
739
00:40:45,356 --> 00:40:48,821
Elizabeth would have had to walk
many miles a day through this,
740
00:40:48,846 --> 00:40:52,661
without wellies or a facemask,
just to get to her customers.
741
00:40:53,886 --> 00:40:56,611
Where and when was gin sold?
742
00:40:56,636 --> 00:40:59,050
They sold it everywhere.
743
00:40:59,075 --> 00:41:00,981
They were going up and down
the streets to do it.
744
00:41:01,006 --> 00:41:03,871
But the best place to sell gin
was if you showed up to places
745
00:41:03,896 --> 00:41:05,250
where people gathered.
746
00:41:05,275 --> 00:41:07,941
And you're looking at hangings
at the Tyburn Tree.
747
00:41:07,966 --> 00:41:10,611
If you're going to go see a proper
set of hangings for the day,
748
00:41:10,636 --> 00:41:13,221
you're going to need refreshment.
You're going to need gin.
749
00:41:14,866 --> 00:41:17,411
After spending the day
at the gallows, Elizabeth
750
00:41:17,436 --> 00:41:22,050
might have found some more thirsty
customers at the local fight night.
751
00:41:22,075 --> 00:41:24,651
Women used to do
bare-knuckle fighting
752
00:41:24,676 --> 00:41:26,491
because it was another way
to make money.
753
00:41:26,516 --> 00:41:28,891
And they'd be selling gin
as a refreshment.
754
00:41:28,916 --> 00:41:31,290
But they also gave it away
as a prize. Really?
755
00:41:31,315 --> 00:41:33,201
Ladies love gin!
756
00:41:34,786 --> 00:41:38,300
But, unfortunately,
ladies loved it too much,
757
00:41:38,325 --> 00:41:41,691
as did men and quite a few children.
758
00:41:42,966 --> 00:41:47,681
By the 1730s, gin was no longer
just a recreational drug.
759
00:41:47,706 --> 00:41:51,060
Londoners had become hopelessly
addicted to the tipple
760
00:41:51,085 --> 00:41:52,411
Elizabeth was selling.
761
00:41:53,696 --> 00:41:59,951
So the government banned hawking gin
on the streets, and that meant...
762
00:41:59,976 --> 00:42:04,741
...Elizabeth's livelihood
was seriously under threat.
763
00:42:04,766 --> 00:42:09,031
Desperate for an income, she moved
her gin operation underground
764
00:42:09,056 --> 00:42:12,180
and found a clever way
to advertise her bootleg -
765
00:42:12,205 --> 00:42:14,101
a puss and mew.
766
00:42:16,155 --> 00:42:18,180
What you do, you fancy a gin, right?
767
00:42:18,205 --> 00:42:20,021
This is absolutely true.
768
00:42:20,046 --> 00:42:22,811
You would stand outside it going,
769
00:42:22,836 --> 00:42:25,180
"Puss, puss, puss, puss,
puss, puss, puss.
770
00:42:25,205 --> 00:42:28,491
Inside, Elizabeth would hear it
and she would reply,
771
00:42:28,516 --> 00:42:30,481
"Mew, mew, mew, mew, mew."
772
00:42:30,506 --> 00:42:33,941
So the bloke knew that it was time
to put his penny in,
773
00:42:33,966 --> 00:42:36,130
or his tuppence,
if he wanted a double.
774
00:42:36,155 --> 00:42:39,130
And then she would pour the gin out,
775
00:42:39,155 --> 00:42:41,101
and it would come down that spout
776
00:42:41,126 --> 00:42:44,201
and he would get out
his pewter mug and drink it.
777
00:42:44,226 --> 00:42:46,971
It was a bit like ordering
a burger from a drive-in.
778
00:42:50,476 --> 00:42:56,310
But in spring 1738,
Elizabeth's luck finally ran out.
779
00:42:56,335 --> 00:42:59,031
She was snitched on for selling gin
and sentenced
780
00:42:59,056 --> 00:43:03,260
to two months' imprisonment at
the Tothill House of Correction.
781
00:43:03,285 --> 00:43:06,771
Georgian houses of correction
were pretty brutal places.
782
00:43:06,796 --> 00:43:10,341
Inmates like Elizabeth were forced
into hard labour.
783
00:43:10,366 --> 00:43:13,611
They used to have to spend
the whole day hammering away
784
00:43:13,636 --> 00:43:18,661
at tough hemp plants to extract
the fibres for rope making.
785
00:43:18,686 --> 00:43:21,341
They lived in squalid,
cramped conditions.
786
00:43:21,366 --> 00:43:23,031
The food was meagre,
787
00:43:23,056 --> 00:43:24,571
the whippings were frequent.
788
00:43:24,596 --> 00:43:26,411
All for committing the crime,
789
00:43:26,436 --> 00:43:30,621
basically, of being a poor person
trying to get a living
790
00:43:30,646 --> 00:43:33,130
in a rich man's world.
791
00:43:33,155 --> 00:43:37,130
After prison, Elizabeth disappears
from the historical records.
792
00:43:37,155 --> 00:43:39,331
Maybe she stopped selling gin.
793
00:43:39,356 --> 00:43:44,380
Or maybe this canny operator became
even better at hiding her trade.
794
00:43:48,636 --> 00:43:52,130
For ordinary people in Georgian
Britain - whether gin hawkers,
795
00:43:52,155 --> 00:43:56,751
sailors or poachers -
life was a hell of a struggle.
796
00:43:56,776 --> 00:44:00,390
But I'm just in awe of their spirit
of survival.
797
00:44:01,976 --> 00:44:04,501
Next time, taking on the Nazis.
798
00:44:04,526 --> 00:44:06,861
It's the Second World War.
799
00:44:06,886 --> 00:44:10,140
The whole day was
a long list of drills,
800
00:44:10,165 --> 00:44:13,260
physical exercises
and skills training.
801
00:44:13,285 --> 00:44:14,661
How they survived...
802
00:44:14,686 --> 00:44:16,661
What did you do if you wanted a pee?
803
00:44:16,686 --> 00:44:18,621
Go in the bucket. The bucket?
804
00:44:18,646 --> 00:44:20,101
...how they fought...
805
00:44:20,126 --> 00:44:24,310
James could hear the ping of bullets
and the clatter of shrapnel.
806
00:44:24,335 --> 00:44:25,831
...and how they kicked back.
807
00:44:25,856 --> 00:44:27,491
They played hard and worked hard.
808
00:44:29,806 --> 00:44:31,781
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